My eyes open sharply as my body shoots up fast but painfully. Sweat covers me even though it is remarkably cold. A nightmare woke me from my slumber but its memory is already faded into the mist of my mind. Taking in my surroundings I begin to cough violently spitting up a foul black tar. White shabby stone walls entrap me on all four sides while a hole riddled thatch roof seems to do nothing more than let the wind peacefully whistle.
Light footsteps approach from a door across from the itchy straw bed I lay in. The door creaks as it is pushed open. A head peaks in examining the source of the noise followed by the rest of the body. It is the black haired women. "Thank the gods! You finally wake my dear child." The lady practically jumps in joy. "I am Lydia. Me and my husband found in you that ditch." noticing the confused look of my face she explained how she found me. My throat is dry almost too dry to speak. I force myself to speak anyway
"Th.. Thank you" I manage to force out the words. My voice is foreign to even myself thick in an accent neither I nor Lydia seem to recognize.
Lydia approaches the bed briskly moving to sit at the end. Making sure not to touch or frighten me. She extended her arm toward me with a cup in her hand. "Take this. It will help with your throat." Greedily snatching the cup and drinking its contents it feels as though a raging fire was just smothered into embers in my throat.
"Thank you" I say again this time without faltering. Lydia did not speak instead deciding to let the silence sit in the air. An awkward feeling began to fill the room. Unable to bear it anymore I finally speak "Where am I?" Listening to the faint noises outside the thin walls I hear nothing besides a constant and steady dinging. The lady begins to move after noticing the awkwardness. "this is Esting. Nothing more than a small village in the Duchy of Callien. We are all humble serfs of the Kingdom of Cardoina." The words seemed empty coming from her. As if she wanted to be anywhere but in her "Humble Village".
She began to walk back toward the door. Looking back before she left 'You are safe here young man. Get some more rest while I Prepare dinner we can talk more then." Now in an empty room I sank back into the rough bed and close my eyes once more.